LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Lafayette police found 124 needles from the Tippecanoe County's exchange program in one house. One-hundred-twenty-four needles.

"That's more than we usually have seen, especially on a single incident," Lafayette police Sgt. Matt Gard said of the Tuesday morning incident that started by officers just trying to find a person wanted on a warrant.

Inside that house — 126 S. 28th St. — police rounded up 10 people, all of whom went to jail on various charges.

"It's rare to take that many people from one location," Gard said of the roundup.

Roger Johnson, 68, lives at that address. He went to jail accused of maintaining a common nuisance, unlawful possession of a syringe and possession of methamphetamine. He posted bond Tuesday night and was released from jail, according to records.

"The homeowner allows people to visit the house," Gard said of Johnson's apparent open-door hospitality.

The cache of needles from the exchange program in one place begs the question of how so many needles found their way to one site.

Heather Hickman-Hall - Preliminarily is charged with possession of a legend drug and visiting a common nuisance. She also was wanted on a writ for her arrest.(Photo: Provided/Tippecanoe County Jail)

Tippecanoe County Commissioners Dave Byers and Tracy Brown, both of whom voted in December to renew the needle exchange program, speculated that perhaps more than one person brought the needles to that site.

"I'd be very surprised if one person walked out of Gateway to Hope (the needle exchange program) with 124 needles," Brown said, while noting that it's not surprising that drug suspects in the program would come into contact with police. "We need tighter controls if that is happening."

Byers said the latest figures from the Tippecanoe County Health Department indicate that the exchange rate was 58 percent. That's not close to a one-for-one exchange of needles.

Jeremy Nathaniel Hale -preliminary charges of resisting law enforcement, visiting a common nuisance and unlawful possession of a syringe. Hale also is wanted on a warrant(Photo: Provided/Tippecanoe County Jail)

"I've been very vocal about concerns of the program, wanting to work towards a one-for-one exchange so we don't have needles out there."

Lawrence Shane Boyce -preliminarily is charged with possession of a syringe, possession of paraphernalia and visiting a common nuisance.(Photo: Provided/Tippecanoe County Jail)

Roswarski understands the health concerns dirty needles pose and how a needle exchange can reduce hepatitis C, HIV and other blood-borne illnesses in the community. But one of the program's shortcomings is it does not require participants to receive treatment for their addiction.

Byers supports the program because it can curb diseases, and he accepts that addicts will practice their addictions with the county's needles.

"We know people are still going to get high using these needles, but they aren't using dirty needles," Byers said, noting they're not catching or spreading hepatitis C or other illnesses. "We want them to have clean needles."

Ethan Michaels Bishop Nichols -preliminarily is charged with visiting a common nuisance, possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia.(Photo: Provided)

The Journal & Courier unsuccessfully attempted to contact Dr. Jeremy Adler, the Tippecanoe County health officer, for comment about the needle exchange program and Tuesday morning's cache of needles.

As for Tuesday's discovery, Byers said, "This is just a bump in the road."

That bump in the road started about 10:35 a.m. when officers went to Johnson's home looking for a man wanted on a warrant, Gard said.

As officers walked up to the house, Jeremy Nathaniel Hale, 39, 520 N. Seventh St., Lafayette, jumped from a second-floor window, Gard said. Police chased him down, and then began to unravel what was going on inside the house.

Bradley Steven Fisher -preliminarily is charged with unlawful possession of a syringe and visiting a common nuisance.(Photo: Provided/Tippecanoe County Jail)

Hale faces preliminary charges of resisting law enforcement, visiting a common nuisance and unlawful possession of a syringe. Hale also is wanted on a warrant, but that is not the person police were searching for when they arrived at Johnson's house, Gard said.

Hale remains incarcerated Wednesday afternoon.

Others arrested Tuesday and their charges include:

♦ Heather Leigh Hickman-Hall, 34, 522 S. 30th St., Lafayette; preliminarily is charged with possession of a legend drug and visiting a common nuisance. She also was wanted on a writ for her arrest. She remained incarcerated Wednesday afternoon, according to online records.

♦ Lawrence Shane Boyce, 52, homeless, Lafayette, preliminarily is charged with possession of a syringe, possession of paraphernalia and visiting a common nuisance. He remained jailed Wednesday afternoon, according to online records.

♦ Ethan Michael Bishop Nichols, 19, 126 S. 28th St., Lafayette, preliminarily is charged with visiting a common nuisance, possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia. He posted bond Tuesday night and was released from jail, according to records.

♦ Bradley Steven Fisher, 45, 246 Compton Place, Lafayette, preliminarily is charged with unlawful possession of a syringe and visiting a common nuisance. He was still incarcerated Wednesday, according to online jail records.

Aundrea Lynn Ferguson-preliminarily charged with visiting a common nuisance are(Photo: Provided/Tippecanoe County Jail)

Arrested and preliminarily charged with visiting a common nuisance are: